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Title
Building Robots: Electrical Drives
Category
general
UUID
f5be5ed0a65c44889b7557c044303867
Source URL
https://learningforlife.tudelft.nl/building-robots-electrical-drives/
Parent URL
https://learningforlife.tudelft.nl/our-courses/ai-data-computer-science/robotics...
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2026-03-23T11:23:50+00:00
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Building Robots: Electrical Drives

Source: https://learningforlife.tudelft.nl/building-robots-electrical-drives/ Parent: https://learningforlife.tudelft.nl/our-courses/ai-data-computer-science/robotics/

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For instructor paced courses this is the length of the course.

For self-paced courses this is the length of the course if you spend the amount of time per week as specified. You're free to go faster or slower as you see fit.

6 Weeks - Effort 4 - 6 Hours per week

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Learn the fundamentals of electrical drives, including hardware and control systems, and how to implement and control a DC drive in robotic applications.

Mechatronic systems are transforming our world, with robots as some of the most impactful examples. These versatile machines enhance efficiency across diverse fields, from manufacturing and agriculture to household tasks and space exploration.

At the heart of robotics, electrical drives enable controlled motion, forming the backbone of these systems.

This course equips you with the fundamental knowledge to implement the hardware and control loop of an electrical drive in mechatronic systems. It will be your gateway to implementing electrical drives in robotics.

Who is this course for?\ Designed for engineering students and young engineers with little or no experience in electrical drives, this course is also ideal for experienced professionals looking to expand or refresh their expertise. Through hands-on learning with practical examples and simulation models, you will develop the skills to model, simulate, implement, and test an electrical drive.

A hands-on approach: build your own robot\ One of the course's unique features is its use of modular mechatronic educational hardware. This hardware facilitates a systematic approach to designing robotic applications, guiding you through the entire process of mechatronic system integration – from conceptualization and analysis to construction and control.

The open-source hardware and firmware enables customization, making it adaptable for various applications, including student thesis projects. Additionally, the course integrates knowledge of other robotics components, such as sensing, communication, and system integration, highlighting their role in electrical drives.

Full Program\ This course is an initiative of the Erasmus + project GEMS (Graceful Equalizing of Mechatronics Students). It is part of the online program Building Robots: From Mechatronic Components to Robotics, developed by GEMS partners, with Delft University of Technology leading the part about robotics through motion control.

After taking this course, you will be able to:

##### Course Syllabus

Week 1: Motors and actuators in robotics

Participants learn the roles and basic principles

Week 2: DC motor: structure principles and performance

Participants will learn how a DC machine is modeled mathematically and how to calculate and simulate it.

Week 3: Power converters: components, topology and modulation

Participants will learn how to implement, modulate, calculate and simulate a power converter.

Week 4: DC electrical drive: closed-control system architecture

Participants will learn how the hardware to enable closed-loop control is implemented and to simulate an open-loop DC drive system.

Week 5: Closed-loop controller design of DC electrical drives

Participants will learn how to construct and tune the closed-loop controller and simulate a closed-loop DC drive system.

Week 6: Implementation of closed-loop control of DC drives

Project: realize closed-loop speed tracking and position tracking with given hardware and control algorithms - Qualifications

Chartered Engineering Competences\ All our online courses and programs have been matched to the competences determined by KIVI’s Competence Structure, a common frame of reference for everyone, across all disciplines, levels and roles.

These competences apply to this course:

This is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that runs on edX.\

##### Prerequisites

This course is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Our MOOCs are delivered on edX.org and are open to all. They include video lectures, readings, assignments, and community discussions. Content is free, with optional certificates and additional exercises available for a fee.

This course has been supported by the DigiWind project, co-funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101122836. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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